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Lubbock retailers preparing for tax-free weekend

Savings on denim, backpacks, gym suits and school supplies is less than a month away.

Stores across Texas will host the annual tax-free weekend Aug. 17-19 for school supplies and related items.

Stores across Texas will host the annual tax-free weekend on August 17-19 for school supplies and related items. (Zach Long)

Stores across Texas will host the annual tax-free weekend on August 17-19 for school supplies and related items. (Zach Long)

The state's annual tax-free weekend Aug. 17-19 offers a savings of 8.25 percent for school supplies and related items.

Savings on denim, backpacks, gym suits and school supplies is less than a month away.

Local retailers already are gearing up for the influx of back-to-school shoppers the statewide sales tax holiday brings Aug. 17-19.

Saving on clothing

Saving 8.25 percent on jackets, jeans, shirts and sweats for fall makes for great savings, especially for large families, said Beth Bridges, senior manager of marketing for the South Plains Mall.

“If you have a family of four, or three or four children, it really adds up if you have to buy new clothes — with as quickly as kids are growing these days — new jeans, get the new trends, new styles for fall,” she said. “It really adds up, and (tax-free weekend) does create a great savings.”

The South Plains Mall will have extended hours Friday and Saturday of tax-free weekend from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Bridges added.

Aeropostale store manager Anna Alvarado said the South Plains Mall clothing store has been preparing for the weekend’s big wave of sales. Denim, graphic T-shirts and fleece will be the key items for fall shopping, she said.

The store began hiring for the fall season two months in advance, Alvarado said. Aeropostale has been training employees on the brand to serve customers better for back-to-school shopping.

“On a usual Saturday, we probably do $18,000,” Alvarado said. “On tax-free (weekend’s Saturday), we’re scheduled to do over $50,000. It goes usually from 16 to 17 associates, to like 25 associates a day.”

General Manager of Cardinal’s Sports Center Brad Wyatt said he’s hoping to see a 50 to 70 percent increase in sales during the three-day holiday, compared to other August weekend sales.

Timing of the sales tax holiday is key, Wyatt said, and this year there is only one weekend after tax-free weekend before school starts. Wyatt said he expects most shoppers to wait to make their back-to-school purchases until the holiday, although he would rather it fall one week earlier.

“It is a big deal. It is important to people,” he said. “They look for it and are willing to wait until then. We have a lot of people prior to (the holiday) come in to scope things out, shop around a little bit, and (come back) for the savings.”

Within the past few years, stores have combined their own promotions with the weekend for better deals, he said. It’s beneficial to shoppers to tie in tax-free and other savings.

“I think we understand people need savings that time of year,” Wyatt said. “It’s a great combination with what the state is doing.”

Saving on supplies

Office Depot is making sure it has plenty of school supplies stocked and readying employees for a busy weekend, said store manager Clay Roepke.

Backpacks and general school supplies like folders, scissors and crayons are big-time sellers for the weekend each year, he said, not only for students and their families, but for teachers.

“(Teachers) like to buy a lot of things students may not be able to afford,” Roepke said. “We run 10-cent items and penny items each year (such as plastic rulers or pencil sharpeners), and teachers are able to use that to fill in gaps for any students who are not able to purchase school supplies. It helps teachers be able to provide for those kids.”

Office Max is stocking up, too.

Assistant store manager Chris Vasquez said this is his first tax-free weekend with the store. From what he hears from other employees, it’s going to be a big one.

Customers have been bringing in their school supplies lists and spending hours shopping, he said.

“We’re already busy with back-to-school alone, and tax-free (weekend) is going to boost it,” Vasquez said. “... It allows them to put more money onto other things later throughout the year.”

Effect on economy

Bridges said South Plains Mall retailers call the tax-free weekend one of their busiest weekends, if not the busiest weekend of the year.

John Osborne, CEO of Visit Lubbock and Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, said third-quarter reports of sales tax collections for Lubbock generally are the second highest, following behind fourth-quarter reports.

With the economy picking up for the West Texas area, Osborne said, people may have a little bit more disposable income than they have had in the past few years, Osborne said. There’s a good chance Lubbock will see better sales during this year’s sales tax holiday than in years past, he added.

Most travelers during tax-free weekend come for the day, Osborne said.

“A lot of them are coming from hours away,” he said. “We are the regional hub for retail. They’re coming not only to get school supplies, but they’ll stock up on things they need for sports, for playing in band, orchestra and other needs as well. When traveling for things like that, you’ll find they spend the whole day here. They eat lunch, sometimes dinner as well, and take time to see Lubbock.”

This year, shoppers will save an estimated $64.8 million in state and local sales tax during the sales tax holiday, according to the Texas Comptroller website.

The tax-free weekend has been an annual event since 1999.

To comment on this story:

brittany.hoover@lubbockonline.com • 766-8722

leesha.faulkner@lubbockonline.com • 766-8706

Sources: Beth Bridges, Anna Alvarado

Source: Texas Comptroller website.

Source: Texas Comptroller website.

Sales tax holiday

■ What: Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales tax. Lay-away plans can be used to take advantage of the sales tax holiday. The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced less than $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.

■ When: Aug. 17-19.

■ Where: Across Texas.

■ More info: www.TexasTaxHoliday.org

Tips for shopping tax-free

■ Arrive early to stores with door buster promotions for the best selection.

■ Visit stores with all-weekend sales later in the day to avoid crowds. Most stores will restock products throughout the day.